Given that it’s around 20 miles to Durham Hospital from Consett, it’s a real inconvenience for people who need to attend hospital so far from home. It’s especially difficult for people who do not drive a car or who have mobility issues.
In areas surrounding Consett, it can be difficult to get into Consett on a bus, let alone having to get two/three busses just to attend a hospital appointment 20 miles away in Durham.
Thankfully for the Consett and North West Durham Area, we have the lifeline of Shotley Bridge Community Hospital. At least for now.
The Hospital’s inpatient ward serves many thousands people in the area, but is being threatened with closure.
Local people are convinced the explanation on offer is simply a convenient excuse to close our hospital and sell the land for house building. Our petition now goes to the County Council to register the hospital as a community asset and while this might not stop the sale it will buy us more time. We mean to make life as difficult as possible for those who wish to close our NHS services and they must know that they are in for a battle. PAT GLASS MP
At a time when ambulances are queuing up outside of University Hospital due to insufficient beds where is the sense in closing the last beds in Derwentside in the run up to winter?
I am incredibly disappointed that the Trust has decided yet again to pull out provision from Shotley Bridge Hospital. In my view this is simply an excuse to cut back services and centre everything on University Hospital, Durham to cut costs.
It is time for honesty on the part of the local health service, I shall be asking questions in Westminster as to how this situation has been allowed to unfold. PAT GLASS MP
jeremy hunt,s book how to dismantle the n.h.s. sums the snake up.